Officials seize 5kgs of heroin at JKIA

January 26, 2013 9:54 am

By , KRA’s Senior Deputy Communication Commissioner Kennedy Onyonyi said the drugs were wrapped in a black paper to avoid detection and hidden in a suitcase/FILENAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 26 – The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) earlier this week intercepted 5.436 kilos of heroin from a Tanzanian lady aged 25, who was attempting to smuggle it through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

KRA’s Senior Deputy Communication Commissioner Kennedy Onyonyi said the drugs were wrapped in a black paper to avoid detection and hidden in a suitcase.

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In a statement sent to newsrooms Onyonyi claimed that the young lady had travelled from Tanzania and was heading to Budapest through Brussels.

“The drug was concealed in the false ‘top and bottom’ of a Japan Express suitcase and was wrapped in a black plastic paper to avoid detection at the screening machines,” he explained.

KRA seized the drugs on Wednesday morning when the suspect was picked from the transit area as officers went through the passenger manifest for Sabena Airlines.

Onyonyi added that the suspect initially denied owning the suitcase before claiming that her friend gave it to her.

“The suspect had initially said she had only one hand luggage and was travelling to join her husband who stays in Budapest. The officers doubted this and after interrogation, they decided to involve the airline personnel to try to locate her luggage,” he said.

“It was located and she denied knowledge of it until they finally came across her luggage tag hidden in her handbag,” said Onyonyi.

Onyonyi added that further investigations to establish the source of these drugs are going on between the JKIA, KRA Enforcement Surveillance and Targeting Team and the JKIA Anti-Narcotics officers.